Your Capital Campaign Timeline
Many people believe that all the stars have to be aligned just right to conduct a successful capital campaign. People have different perceptions about capital campaigns. Some view them as a mysterious process or with fear and trepidation, rather than with genuine enthusiasm and excitement for a new opportunity. Keep reading to learn more about how to plan your capital campaign timeline.
Potential Excuses
There are many reasons why your charitable organization might not feel ready to undertake a capital campaign:
- You have a weak board
- Your organization is new or in transition
- You don’t have rich board members
- Your case is not quite polished yet
- You need to cultivate prospects first
- You need to mature the annual giving program before thinking in terms of a capital campaign
But this is just a list of excuses! Any organization with purpose or integrity is thinking about where they want to go (their case for support), and how they are going to get there (cash to pay for it—a capital campaign). If the most successful and multi-dimensional institutions are finishing one campaign now, they are well into the planning process for the next one.
You might be thinking:
- It would be nice to have an ideal case that is not only defensible, but also marketable and attractive.
- It would be great to have the most socially prominent and successful businesspeople on your board and committee.
- It would be delightful to have the most intelligent and articulate community leaders as your volunteer solicitors.
- It would be nice if your organization’s management team were the envy of everyone else.
Realistically, most of us are not going to enjoy such unlikely circumstances—but don’t let that keep you from your goals!
Benefits of a Capital Campaign
You can create a strategic plan that will enable you and your organization to reach much greater heights through a process of dreaming, goal setting, and working together to meet these goals. This is what the capital campaign process is all about. A capital campaign strengthens an organization by focusing its collective attention on the objectives that are important, and demanding the very best effort from each person involved, until together, they accomplish those objectives. A successful campaign, while it cannot demand the bulk of leadership’s time, must be seen by your organization as a primary institutional priority.
The capital campaign experience completes the fundraising process and has a polarizing effect upon your constituents. It teaches people to improvise and work together to overcome challenges, and is truly a cataclysmic event. It makes people decide if the organization really matters to them and inspires them to come forward to help. The commitment and demands you place on your organization’s members during a well-run capital campaign will cause them either to stay or leave.
Your Ideal Capital Campaign Timeline
There are a few circumstances where we would advise you to wait before beginning an important campaign. However, it’s a bad idea to wait for a long time. You should be up and running within a year—to wait any longer is counterproductive.
No matter the age, size or strength of your nonprofit organization, you can carefully craft a development plan that includes a successful capital campaign. Seek the advice of fundraising counsel and engage them to do a campaign feasibility and planning study. This will help you determine your strengths and weaknesses, assess your leadership and proposed timing for the campaign, and set a campaign goal that is both challenging and achievable.
Remember, capital campaigns are exciting opportunities. Let potential donors see what a tremendous opportunity they have to make a difference in real people’s lives. If you don’t tell potential donors your story and ask for their financial support, someone else will. Ensure you’re ready to take advantage of your opportunities—plan your capital campaign now!